The UAC Has a New Problem: Austin Peay
Yet another week of lessons in the UAC.
Austin Peay looks more and more like the ultimate dark horse, West Florida gets brought back down to earth, and Tarleton State’s offense keeps humming. Plenty of good news for North Alabama, but even more so for Abilene Christian.
Meanwhile, the nightmare continues for Eastern Kentucky... and West Georgia. Ready?
Week 3 Recap
At the end of the day, this game came down to execution in the trenches and costly mistakes.
We talked last week about an unexpected Govs defense that answers the bell every single time, and they were dominant once again, proving to be the common denominator of this red-hot start to the season.
The defensive line set a physical, aggressive tone all afternoon, spearheaded by an unstoppable Malik Denkins (8 tackles, 5 solo, 1 sack, 4.5 TFLs), giving the secondary plenty of room to fly around and make plays.
The result? 2 INTs, 4 PBUs, 10 TFLs and 4 sacks, including a 70-yard pick-six by Youngstown State marquee transfer DB Justin Wimpye.
Showing just how seriously they took this matchup, Chris Person got it done both through the air and on the ground with 208 total yards, 1 passing TD and 1 rushing TD, backed by a rushing attack that piled up 235 yards and 3 TDs.
But it was the offensive line that truly paved the way for the offensive showcase. Time and time again, ballcarriers found daylight, not necessarily for chunk plays every snap, but churning out steady, inevitable yardage.
Saidou Ba was at the scene of every crime.
Across the field, the Argos were just trying to survive. They only managed to get anything going when matching the physical challenge at the line of scrimmage.
Simply too many mistakes: avoidable interceptions, holding onto the ball too long, poorly timed penalties and tactical lapses against superior athleticism. It was nearly impossible to sustain momentum.
To make matters worse, QB Ty’Ray Davis (8-of-14, 118 yards, 1 TD; 19 carries, 19 rushing yards, 1 TD) went down with an injury late in the game, and backup Donovan Leary's deep shots were all in vain.
RB Markel Townsend was everywhere on your screen, doing it all for UWF with 135 total yards on 9 carries and 3 receptions, but the offensive line was overwhelmed and the front seven spent the afternoon running in circles.
The takeaway? Austin Peay is likely the biggest threat to Tarleton State. Meanwhile, West Florida is getting a harsh reality check in a brutal UAC. The Argos might play the role of a dangerous wildcard, but they still have a lot to figure out as they weather their first growing pains, and likely not their last.
Abilene Christian Wildcats (1-3) 41, Idaho Vandals (0-4, 0-1 Big Sky) 39
I do think the right word is “phew.”
This one was close.
In a shootout where the offenses set the tone, it was the defenses that ultimately had the final say. With both teams trading blows and deadlocked entering the fourth quarter, the ACU defense picked the perfect time to take its chance.
First, LB Santana Miller stripped the ball loose and LB Boone Morris hopped on it, setting up a go-ahead field goal.
Then, they ran it right back on the very next drive.
Defensive lineman Obi Udom erupted off the edge to chase down QB Joshua Wood, who had been electric up to that point (22-of-34 for 326 yards and 1 passing TD, plus 4 rushing TDs), stripping the ball, scooping it up and taking it to the house.
That broke the game wide open, and the dagger came on the following drive when QB Tucker Parks hit RB Deonte Dean on a 37-yard touchdown strike.
Let’s talk about Tucker Parks, who got another crack under center.
He played clean, composed football and made an impact with his legs, too: 14-of-21 for 148 yards and 2 TDs through the air, plus 13 carries for 74 yards and 1 TD on the ground.
He looked poised and confident, a far cry from his Week 1 disaster against Lamar.
The rest of the backfield carried its weight as well. Workhorse Rovaughn Banks Jr. and the aforementioned hero Deonte Dean racked up 162 rushing yards and a score, both running behind great push from the offensive line.
The only hesitation here is context.
While this offense finally established the run and found its rhythm, it did it against one of the worst rush defenses in the country, ranked 106th. More specifically, it did it by feasting on the perimeter, finding gaping cutback lanes whenever it bounced runs outside the tackles.
It was the right tactical adjustment, but the cheat code was so glaring that you have to wonder what this offense looks like without it.
On top of that, while the defense came up with clutch flashes, DB Javeon Wilcox stood out with 10 tackles, 5 solo and 2 PBUs, it was leaky and largely unable to slow down the Vandals' explosive attack between those big plays.
Whenever Idaho hit the gas, it moved the ball at will.
The Vandals leaned heavily on wideouts Tony Hastre (6 catches, 151 yards, 1 TD) and Noah West-Baranco (6 catches, 60 yards), alongside a hyper-aggressive, disruptive defense that simply lacked the focus to bottle up the Texas program down the stretch.
Still, five different defenders logged at least seven tackles with 0.5 TFL and/or a half-sack: Hepburn, Jaskowiak, Wusstig, Teskey and Speer.
It’s a massive win that could be season-stabilizing for the Wildcats, but not quite enough to erase all the question marks.
#4 Tarleton State Texans (4-0) 45, Merrimack Warriors (1-3, Independent) 20
The Warriors felt the full wrath of the Texans.
Tarleton State didn't even need RB Tylan Hines, who was sidelined, to impose its will. It wasn't until coming out of the locker room that the Texans finally pulled away after holding a tight 17-14 lead at the break.
RB Bryce Green stepped up to shoulder the load, averaging a crisp 6.7 yards per carry with 1 TD, but his number was only called 11 times compared to 32 pass attempts for Kaden Anderson.
Anderson was dialed in, going 23-of-32 (71.9%) for 407 yards and 3 TDs.
That’s over 500 yards of total offense and 5 touchdowns hung on Merrimack.
That said, committing over 100 penalty yards on 10 flags is something that won't fly down the stretch.
To their credit, the Warriors fought back as best they could. QB AJ Hairston Jr. threw for 214 yards and 3 TDs, including two to Austin Palmer (7 catches, 95 yards), and the backfield chipped in a welcome 155 yards on the ground.
But they just couldn't finish drives. A meager 53.1% completion rate and 4.7 yards per carry simply aren't enough to hang around, especially when coughing up three turnovers with 1 INT and 2 lost fumbles.
That leaves you with zero margin for error.
Tarleton’s defense did its job, proving once again to be as opportunistic and disruptive as ever.
I know they have their doubters, but when your offense is putting up 35 points a game, holding opponents to a 22-point average isn't just respectable. It gets the job done.
North Alabama Lions (2-2) 38, Alcorn Braves (2-2, 0-2 SWAC West) 20
Behind a complete team effort and total buy-in, the Lions delivered a convincing, near-signature performance.
Sticking to their fundamentals with discipline, they spread the wealth and created opportunities for explosive plays in what was a textbook coaching clinic.
WR Xavier Johnson jumped off the screen with 5 catches for 86 yards, highlighted by an explosive 75-yard touchdown run. WR Snap Reed rounded out the receiving corps with 6 catches for 85 yards.
QB Destin Wade got the job done. While he wasn't always pinpoint accurate, completing 50% of his passes, he racked up 296 yards and 3 TDs through the air and added another score on the ground on one of his 10 carries.
He did it all behind an offensive line that kept him clean and didn't surrender a single sack.
The defensive line was huge, anchored by goliaths Avery Howard and Cayden Adkins, who combined for 13 tackles, 4 TFLs and 2 sacks.
Their push up front allowed the rest of the unit to rattle QB Jaylon Tolbert, who struggled to a 22-of-44 passing day with 6.1 yards per attempt, 1 TD and 1 INT.
They completely bottled up the ground game to just 3.0 yards per carry and forced three turnovers, including one interception and two turnovers on downs.
Without a standalone superstar, it takes the whole roster stepping up, and UNA followed that blueprint to perfection.
Here’s hoping they can keep the momentum rolling.
Southeast Missouri State Redhawks (2-2, 1-0 OVC) 27, Central Arkansas Bears (2-2, 1-1) 9
It’s shaping up to be a long season for Central Arkansas.
On the opening play of the game, Khylen Harris-Norman took the kickoff all the way to the house for a Redhawks touchdown, landing an immediate gut punch that left the Bears reeling for the rest of the afternoon.
Completely smothered by a SEMO front seven that was relentless both generating pressure and dropping into coverage, QB Donovyn Omolo spent more time running for his life than playing football, carrying the offense despite himself.
Going 12-of-27 through the air for just 98 yards, 3.6 yards per attempt and 2 INTs, he took off 13 times for 85 yards to finish as the team’s leading rusher.
The offensive line was an absolute sieve.
Defensively, if there was only one takeaway, it’s the same old story that boils down to two words:
Ashtyn Williams.
A phenomenal talent, Williams finished with 19 tackles, 4 solo, 1.5 TFLs and 2 PBUs, but he was far too isolated to hold down the fort on his own. The run defense, at least, remains stout.
SEMO’s offense wasn't flashy. QB Braylen Ragland went 19-of-29 for 170 yards, while RB Payton Brown chipped in 81 yards and 2 TDs on 18 carries, but the Redhawks played clean football behind their offensive line.
Ultimately, it was the defense that won this game, anchored by a monster performance from safety Cyler Christmas: 9 tackles, 6 solo, 1 TFL and 1 INT.
Dayton Flyers (3-0) 17, Eastern Kentucky Colonels (1-3) 14
QB Jordyn Potts went 23-of-36 for 273 yards and 1 TD with zero interceptions.
And yet.
Six different players hauled in more than two catches, and the ground game churned out 158 yards and a score.
And yet.
It was the Flyers who stayed composed and, above all, opportunistic.
In a tight defensive battle featuring a near-scoreless first half, forced fumbles proved fatal for the Colonels.
First on a QB scramble, then on an emphatic sack from safety Parker Chaney.
But not to pile on kicker Buzz Flabiano, going 0-for-3 on field goal attempts was even more devastating. While missing from 41 yards is understandable, coming up empty from 32 and especially 22 yards is hard to stomach.
That kind of mental spiral can take root in a player's head in a hurry... but he isn't the only one to blame.
The stubborn decision to go for it on fourth down right after yet another fumble just before halftime, gifting the Flyers their first points of the game, was completely baffling.
A 4-of-12 mark on third down and 128 penalty yards on 11 flags forces some serious accountability on the coaching staff.
Do the math: that’s an entire football field and a quarter!
Right now, there are just too many self-inflicted wounds to find any offensive rhythm.
The defense held the aerial attack in check at 4.7 yards per pass attempt and contained the run game, yielding 156 yards but needing 34 carries to do so.
Still, it struggled to limit a handful of costly big plays, including a backbreaking 50-yard run that proved to be brutal.
East Tennessee State Buccaneers (2-2) 35, West Georgia Wolves (0-4) 27
They could have won this game.
But looking back at it, I just don't see how they couldn't have lost it.
Once again, West Georgia came up short, by just a hair this time, but undeniably short.
The difference?
Leading in a sluggish defensive slugfest, everything swung late in the third quarter on a pick-six from safety Mike Jenkins.
What followed was a grinding fourth quarter where both punters practically became best friends.
Then, on an explosive flash from WR Brandon Winton, a sharp Mason Mims (15-of-24, 198 yards, 2 TDs) dropped a dime on an 88-yard touchdown strike. UWG went for broke, only to have its hopes dashed on a turnover on downs.
All it took was one turnover too many, one more than the other guy, and that was that.
The ground attack was anemic once again with 64 yards and 2.4 yards per carry, but the Wolves seem to have found their answer under center.
Colton Fitzgerald took over and put together a rock-solid showing: 29-of-50 for 324 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT.
WR Brody Jones did his job with 7 catches for 109 yards, leading a receiving corps where six different targets tallied at least three catches.
The defensive front was gashed on the ground yet again, giving up 179 yards, including 163 to RBs TJ Peyton and Jaiden Daniels, but made up for it by making noise against the pass, even if it fell desperately short of generating the takeaways needed to flip the script.
Week 4 Preview
UT Martin Skyhawks (1-3) at Austin Peay Governors (3-1, 1-0)
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. CT
Where to Watch: ESPN+
At last! A Skyhawks quarterback finally found the end zone!
Against Memphis, QB Tate Suber didn't just break the drought. He scored two touchdowns himself, and not merely in garbage time, either.
Prior to that, the two starters had combined for 4 INTs and just 750 passing yards through four games.
Backfield tandem Tommy Ansley (234 yards, 6 TDs) and Chris Franklin (219 yards, 2 TDs) had been shouldering the entire scoring and yardage load, but it still wasn't enough to dig the offense out of its hole.
The defense, which has scored as many touchdowns this season as the signal-callers, features legitimate playmakers at every level.
While the linebacker corps is the deepest unit on that side of the ball, the safety room demands serious attention, boasting what is likely the defensive unit's best player in Trey Cotton, already up to 25 tackles, 12 solo, 1 forced fumble and a pick-six.
Central Arkansas Bears (2-2, 0-1) at Florida State Seminoles (1-2, 0-1 ACC, FBS)
Kickoff: 2:00 p.m. CT
Where to Watch: ESPN+
FSU is an ACC program that has been struggling lately.
The Seminoles have an absolutely catastrophic pass defense, giving up 340 passing yards per game this season, and there is zero reason to believe the bleeding will stop anytime soon.
Against the run, they held their own against New Mexico State, but were completely dismantled against ranked opponents.
Looking at key storylines to watch, let's start with the secondary, which is still capable of flashing playmaking ability with 3 INTs, 11 PBUs and several TFLs.
The ground game remains the engine of this offense behind Ousmane Kromah (311 yards, 3 TDs). While QB Ashton Daniels can generate serious volume with 704 passing yards and 108 rushing yards, he also has a frustrating knack for turning the ball over.
To have any shot here, Central Arkansas... sigh... needs to find answers across the board.
They need a stable offensive line, an established rushing attack, and they have to stop expecting QB Omolo to play hero ball and bail them out of everything.
If the line holds up, their passing attack could actually do some damage given the matchup.
On the other side of the ball, a very solid run defense will have to kick it up another notch. QB Daniels shouldn't have much trouble stacking up his usual yardage for the Seminoles, though the Bears can only hope he brings his usual share of turnovers with him.
Western Illinois Leathernecks (2-2) at North Alabama Lions (2-2)
Kickoff: 3:00 p.m. CT
Where to Watch: ESPN+
Wait, what’s that?
A shooting star?
No! That’s a Bulldog tearing right into an Eagle.
59-2.
That was the final score for the Leathernecks over Morehead State last week, and no, that wasn’t an NAIA squad.
And yes, that “2” really is just a lone safety.
That completely almost blows up my preview notes. Somebody owes me a refund.
That beatdown aside, this WIU squad remains hyper-reliant on QB Kennedy McGill, who accounts for virtually all of its yardage through the air and on the ground behind a solid offensive line.
The kid has generated 1,005 of the team’s 1,749 total offensive yards and 10 of its 17 touchdowns.
It’s safe to say he’s circle number one on the scouting report.
Meanwhile, the rest of the backfield committee manages just 80 rushing yards a game.
The defense typically bleeds yards, particularly against the run, which remains an absolute Achilles' heel. It surrendered an average of 236 rushing yards against Illinois State and FBS Wisconsin.
Against the pass, however, the Leathernecks have been surprisingly stout, holding Wisconsin to 173 yards and suffocating Morehead State to a pitiful 38 yards at 1.7 yards per attempt.
North Alabama will have to put the clamps on McGill, especially through the air, where its secondary has been far too leaky.
UNA shouldn’t have much trouble bottling up a ground attack that's already anemic for Western Illinois.
The Lions bring the nation's No. 8-ranked rush defense into this matchup, surrendering a stingy 2.53 yards per carry.
If the offense keeps humming and avoids mental lapses, this is a very manageable matchup.
Fort Valley State Wildcats (1-2, DII) at West Georgia Wolves (0-4)
Kickoff: 5:00 p.m. CT
Where to Watch: ESPN+
This should be the one for the Wolves.
This Fort Valley State program has all the makings of a tune-up opponent. QB Don Hudson and the passing attack look lost at times, plagued by far too many interceptions, and the ground game is serviceable at best.
They managed to squeak out a tight win against a weak Elizabeth City State squad, but they’ve sputtered everywhere else.
The team's top scoring threat remains its defense, already boasting 5 defensive touchdowns. Stout against the pass, it has been downright dominant against the run.
This should still be a smooth outing for UWG, especially if QB Fitzgerald keeps rolling and the rest of the roster plays clean, disciplined football.
Still, this has "trap game" written all over it if the Wildcats' strengths catch fire.
The Wolves struggle to contain explosive runs, and giving away turnovers has been an ongoing theme.
That's a dangerous recipe.
West Florida Argonauts (2-1, 1-1) at Southeast Missouri State Redhawks (2-2, 1-0 OVC)
Kickoff: 6:00 p.m. CT
Where to Watch: ESPN+
Coming off the letdown in Clarksville, the Argos desperately need to catch their breath, though this Redhawks defense likely has other plans.
SEMO looked dominant against the Central Arkansas Bears, stymieing them both on the ground and through the air.
While the Redhawks tend to give up chunk plays in the passing game and sometimes lack the knack for forcing takeaways, the secondary is still a unit to respect, loaded with playmakers like DJ Delmore.
Under center, QB Braylen Ragland distributes the ball well, but he’s a statue in the pocket and prone to forcing bad throws, sitting at 2 TDs against 5 INTs.
Their ground game is among the worst in the country, ranked 112th, and the offensive line can fold under relentless pressure.
West Florida needs to get its defensive swagger back, stay disciplined on offense and exploit those front-seven vulnerabilities in the running game, something the Argos are more than capable of doing.
Mercer Bears (2-2, 0-1 SoCon) at Abilene Christian Wildcats (1-3)
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. CT
Where to Watch: ESPN+
The million-dollar question is: with or without QB Jaylen King?
King suffered a concussion against FBS Georgia Tech last week. His backup, JP Pickles, was solid in relief, but the true identity of this team lies in its ground game.
The one-two punch of Zahmari Palode-Gary and Devon Caldwell moves the chains at will, even if they haven't found the end zone much, combining for a gaudy 7.4 yards per carry and just one touchdown.
That efficiency spells trouble against an ACU rush defense with obvious holes to exploit.
For the Bears, the real issue is handling adversity. Under duress, when their fundamentals break down, the entire offense comes unglued.
Abilene needs to strike early and turn the pass rush loose to keep them completely off-balance.
Mercer’s defense, on the other hand, is rock-solid across the board, yielding just 38 points across three FCS matchups.
The defensive front already boasts 9 sacks and 18 TFLs while slowing down the run, and the secondary demands just as much respect, already tallying 5 INTs and 11 PBUs.
Those matchup nightmares could stifle a Wildcats ground attack that only just found its footing.
Abilene needs to keep that newfound confidence intact if it hopes to weather the rest of this schedule.
Comments